Stoudemire verbally agreed, but so did J-Kidd

DALLAS – No one will blame Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle for not coming out and commenting about the team’s impending acquisition of center/forward Amar’e Stoudemire.

After all, in the summer of 2012, the Mavs had a verbal agreement on the table to re-sign point guard Jason Kidd to a three-year, $9 million contract. But a few days later, Kidd took the same deal and signed with the New York Knicks.

While Stoudemire has verbally agreed to sign with the Mavs after he cleared waivers at 4 p.m. Wednesday, history has taught the Mavs that a deal isn’t a deal isn’t it’s signed.

"The one thing I can say at this point is we’re optimistic that something’s going to happen,’’ Carlisle said. "But we really can’t talk about anything until 4 p.m. tomorrow, and that’s when he would clear waivers.

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Point guard Rajon Rondo did say he and Stoudemire have a close connection which will finally be realized whenever Stoudemire puts his signature on the Mavs’ contract.

"Stoudemire and I have always talked throughout the years of playing against each other,’’ Rondo said. "We wanted to become teammates, and hopefully it will come true soon.

"But him as a player, I think he’s still a dominant big in our game. He’s very powerful, he can finish at the rim.’’

Rondo also thinks Stoudemire will be extremely motivated after he left a New York Knick team that’s the worst in the NBA at 10-43, to join a Mavs team that’s 36-19 and seeded fifth in the Western Conference.

"Obviously when you go to a new team I think you get a little bit more motivation playing for a contender,’’ Rondo said. "He wasn’t really playing for anything in New York as far as playoffs or a championship-caliber team.

"With that on your shoulders, with that in mind, I think you have a little bit more excitement about the game and are looking forward to coming to a new team.’’